Okorocha Sacks Over 3,000 Civil Servants

A massive shake up has been recorded in Imo state has Governor Rochas Okorocha has summarily sacked over 3,000 workers in 19 parastatals, agencies and departments.

Speaking to Vanaguard, a Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) source said the governor has stopped their salaries with effect from January 4, 2016.

According to the source, “the current action of the governor, which not only came on the heels of last Wednesday’s labour protest in Owerri, headed by the National President of Nigerian Labour Congress, NLC, Ayuba Wabba, is also closely linked with the recent obnoxious form which the administration forced Imo workers to sign before collecting their unpaid salaries.”


Confirming the report, Sir Jude Ejiogu, the secretary to the Government of Imo state, listed those include in the sack-web.

They include: Imo Water Corporation, Imo Cattle Market, Imo Sports Council, Imo State Environmental Transformation Commission (ENTRACO), Imo Marketing Company, Imo Consumer Protection Council, Hospital Management Board, and its headquarters staff.

Others are Imo Tourism Board, Imo Blue Lake of Treasure, Imo State Investment Promotion Agency, Imo Job Centre, Imo Water Development Agency, IWADA, Imo Library Board, Imo Agricultural Loans Board, Imo Livestock, Imo Poverty Alleviation Agency, Imo Palm Plantation, Agricultural Development Programme, ADP and Small Holders Unit.

According to him, the reason behind the sack followed the months of probe that showed that the workers were not contributing any meaningful thing to the growth of the state.

Ejiogu added that: “Government is satisfied that it is no longer in public interest to keep running these agencies, parastatals and departments with huge cost on public revenue and no services to the public, under the present economic realities.

“Government promised that the affected workers would be communicated to in due course, about the administration’s next line of action regarding possible re-engagement, after the on-going concessioning exercise affecting the agencies, departments and parastatals.

“The affected staff are expected to handover all government property in their possession to their chief executives within 48 hours.”

Agencies of government which staff narrowly escaped Okorocha’s action were the Secondary Education Management Board, State Universal Education Board, General Hospital Okigwe, General Hospital Aboh Mbaise, Imo Essential Drugs, Specia Education Centre Orlu and School of the Deaf and Dumb, Orodo.